.Business Subject Guide: Websites

This is a free online tutorial to help university students develop their Internet research skills. Includes a guided tour of some key library and Web resources for business research.

Provides a quick overview of best practices to follow when conducting personal interviews.

Provides both a description and an example.

Features high quality, freely available online resources for business research.

A list of websites recommended by the Advertising and Marketing Division of the Special Libraries Associaton.

This guide from Rutgers online discusses the importance of ethics in business.

The definitive listing of the world’s top 50 business thinkers. Uses ten established criteria by which thinkers are evaluated: originality of ideas; practicality of ideas; presentation style; written communication; loyalty of followers; business sense; international outlook; rigor of research; impact of ideas and the elusive guru factor.

Calculates the online popularity of the most visited websites and provides these results for free. See the popularity ranking of the top one million Web properties now

Find a wide variety of industry reports, company profiles and market statistics from both free and fee-based sources.

Provides market research reports on a variety of topics. Register for a free account to get unlimited access to abstracts and tables of contents. Full reports available for an often hefty fee.

Provides free, downloadable marketing charts and spreadsheets. Covers all marketing topics, from leading industry sources.

A global leader in measuring the digital world and the preferred source of digital marketing intelligence. Through a powerful combination of behavioral and survey insights, comScore enables clients to better understand, leverage and profit from the rapidly evolving worldwide web and mobile arena.

Free resources released by a leading consumer research firm.

A statewide network of nonprofits, foundations, business partners, and individuals dedicated to supporting Oregon’s nonprofit sector. Serves as a resource for nonprofit organizations and a central source of information about the nonprofit sector. Offers programs and services that enhance the capacity of nonprofits to fulfill their essential missions.

Provides news and other data by industry.

All companies, foreign and domestic, are required to file registration statements, periodic reports, and other forms electronically through EDGAR. Anyone can access and download this information for free using EDGAR.

Provides access to a wealth of economic and business data collected by the US Federal Government.

Provides reports and statistics about the performance of the U.S. economy.

Provides reports and statistics on the U.S. labor market.

Provides credit ratings, research, tools and analysis that contribute to transparent and integrated financial markets. Register for a free account to get access to selected reports and other resources.

Offers a web based library of reusable and exchangeable management models for a community of MBA graduates, executives, academic scholars and management consultants.

Search over 42,000 public and 322,000 private companies worldwide. Find stock quotes and charts, news and press releases, financials and key competitors. Research compensation figures, biographies, and board relationships of key company executives. Read up-to-the-minute global sector and industry news.

An online information site that specializes in gathering, validating, and archiving freely accessible financial information, as well as providing investment tools for the serious investor looking for high-quality information. Useful for researching specific companies and economic trends.

The US federal government agency responsible for consumer protection and regulation of anti-competitive business practices.

A non-profit, non-partisan think tank that seeks to broaden discussions about economic policy to include the needs of low- and middle-income workers. Conducts research and analysis on the economic status of working America and produces reports that can be freely downloaded from the website.

Profiles many occupations, describing what they do, work environment, how to become one, pay, and more. Each profile also includes U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics employment projections for 2010–20.

An extensive listing of sources for statistical data.

Presents data from a survey conducted every three years by the Federal Reserve Board. Includes information on American families’ balance sheets, pensions, income, and demographic characteristics.

Vizala is an online database that is completely free and open. It would be the only site on the list that combines market research, demographic, economic, and industry data from many different sources and organizes the data for specific areas of interest.

Created by the International Business Center at Michigan State University, a web portal that connects international business professionals worldwide to a wealth of information, insights, and learning resources on global business activities.

A comprehensive source for information designed to assist U.S. businesses with international growth. Useful for researching global business markets and financial data relevant to international business.

The website enables importers and exporters to find trading companies, agents, international trade service providers and international trade market analyses and tips for exporting.

Brings together resources from across the U.S. Government to assist American businesses in planning their international sales strategies and succeed in today’s global marketplace. Includes access to Country Commercial Guides and other "Doing Business In" information.

Provides free reports assessing risk factors in countries around the world. AM Best is a full-service credit rating organization dedicated to serving the insurance industry.

Dedicated to the promotion of international trade, import-export, international logistics management, international finance and more. Website includes links to a wealth of information relevant to international business.

A Los Angeles-based, industry-financed nonprofit corporation that advocates and promotes the many consumer benefits associated with various home entertainment products, including both physical and digital media on a variety of platforms. They compile and publish reports and other data relevant to the industry. See the Data & Resources section of their website.

ICI is a national association (trade group) for U.S. investment companies. The website offers data and analysis on industry issues. Publishes the annual Investment Company Factbook, which is freely available.

A leading trade industry association for the consumer electronics industry.

A trade association for companies in the active outdoor recreation business. Website provides access to industry information and research reports, some of which are freely available.

Provides consumer, business and industry news and market research data.